It is not very common to see our good old pomegranate, called anar in Hindustani, being used in desserts unless it's for garnishing. We are here to rectify that. If you have a nice little big one sitting in your fruit basket, it is time to turn it into delicious baked goodies. These recipes are so good that they will have you wanting to pile up on the fruit and bake some more.
We do agree they make great garnishes—it's like sprinkling down minuscule red rubies over delicious desserts like parfaits; but pureed and juiced, they enhance the aesthetics and taste of certain desserts quite well. As for the flavor, they add a subtle tartness to desserts and their color also makes them a stunning addition to gelatin molds, puddings or parfaits.
1. Pomegranate Bites
Ingredients:
- 150 gm dark chocolate, chopped
- 100 gm fresh pomegranate seeds (arils)
- 50 gm toasted almonds, chopped
Instructions:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Gently fold the pomegranate arils and toasted almonds into the melted chocolate. The chocolate should coat the ingredients evenly.
- Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of the chocolate mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 cm apart.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until set.
- Enjoy the chilled pomegranate bites, savoring the sweet-tart pomegranate seeds surrounded by rich chocolate. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
2. Pomegranate Parfait
Ingredients:
- 250 gm Greek yogurt
- 150 gm fresh pomegranate arils
- 100 gm honey
- 50 gm granola
For the parfaits:
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons of honey until well combined. Set aside.
- In another small bowl, gently toss the pomegranate arils with 1 tablespoon of honey to coat.
- To assemble the parfaits, layer the ingredients in the following order in each glass: Greek yogurt mixture, pomegranate arils and granola. Repeat layering until the glass is full.
- Sprinkle the granola on top and drizzle the remaining honey evenly over each parfait.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
3. Pomegranate Panna Cotta
Ingredients:
- 500 ml heavy cream
- 150 gm white sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 150 ml pomegranate juice
- Fresh pomegranate arils for garnish
Instructions:
- In a saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the cream and let it soften for 5 minutes. Warm the cream mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar into the pomegranate juice until fully dissolved.
- Pour the juice into the warm cream mixture and whisk to combine well.
- Pour the pomegranate cream into six 150 ml ramekins or small bowls, then refrigerate until set for at least 4 hours.
- Run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and invert onto plates to serve. Garnish with fresh pomegranate arils.
4. Pomegranate Pie
Ingredients:
- 250 gm all-purpose flour
- 125 gm butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 100 gm powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 gm ice water
Filling:
- 500 gm pomegranate arils (seeds from 1-2 pomegranates)
- 150 gm granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 125 gm orange juice
For the crust:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the egg yolk and ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 3 mm thickness. Fit into a 23cm pie plate.
- Trim and flute (crimp them so they resemble the tops of muffin liners) the edges and immediately refrigerate until you are ready to put the filling.
For the filling:
- In a medium saucepan, combine 500 grams of pomegranate arils (seeds from 1-2 pomegranates), 150 grams of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves.
- Stir 125 grams of orange juice into the pomegranate aril and sugar mixture.
- Cook the filling over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and bubbly.
- Remove the filling from the heat and allow it to cool slightly before pouring it into the chilled pie crust in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours before serving to allow the filling to set.